Battle Of Planets

Chapter 45: Grief amd Fury
”What is he doing?” Nancy’s voice shook with worry.She watched in horror as Tyson dashed straight toward Coco—without his armor. It was as though he no longer cared about his fate. Her heart raced with panic.

”He’s going to get hurt! Mom, we—” Her words trailed off as she watched him throw a stone at Coco, just enough to make him loosen his grip on Blue’s throat.

The next moment, Tyson, Blue, and Alex moved in perfect sync, as if they had planned this maneuver. However, another Rogue jumped in their way before they could take advantage of the opening, disrupting their efforts.

”No... No! He has to get out of there!” Nancy’s voice cracked.

Next to her, her mother stayed silent, her expression unreadable. Yet, her mother grasped the fear that was overwhelming Nancy—the fear of watching the man she loved recklessly throw himself into danger, unprotected and without hesitation.

Then, in a flash, everything shifted.

Dex’s head flew through the air before hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

The entire battlefield went still.

News cameras capturing the chaos from hidden vantage points were now in full view. The once-scattered reporters stood exposed, stunned into silence. Every ongoing battle, every fight between Rangers and Rogues, came to a halt.

And in that eerie moment, as the world looked on in shock and fear, Nancy could only stare—speechless and breathless—at the unprecedented event unfolding before her.

The news helicopter hovered above the battlefield, capturing the haunting stillness below. Bodies lay motionless among the dust and debris, while those still standing were battered and injured, their hearts pounding against their ribcages. The scene was nothing short of horrific—something no civilian would willingly witness. Even the news channels were compelled to blur the most gruesome images from their broadcasts.

Then, amid the devastation, the cameras zeroed in on a solitary figure.

A determined and unwavering young woman slowly made her way to elevated ground on the battlefield. Some Rangers tried to stop her, urging her to stay away from the open, but she ignored their warnings. Step by step, she climbed the rubble until she stood tall above the chaos, her presence commanding attention.

She was none other than Seraphina, the President’s daughter.

”Is... is that her?” Nancy mumbled, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

Alex was about to curse at their failed attempt on the battlefield when his eyes caught sight of her. Seraphina walked toward them, stepping over the wreckage with quiet determination. She stopped on higher ground and glared down at Coco.

She looked as though she had cried for hours—her eyes swollen, her expression weary and defeated. Yet, despite her sorrow, she was here. She had chosen to be here.

”Sera?” Alex called out.

Every eye turned to her.

The young woman, beautiful even in her despair, fixed her gaze on the man responsible for her father’s death and the devastation around them. There was no fear in her posture, only grief and fury.

Coco froze. His metal-clad fingers curled into fists, yet he couldn’t lift his gaze to meet hers. He could feel the pain in her stare, the weight of everything he had taken from her. Although he still believed his cause was just—that everything he had done was for the sake of humanity—he found himself unable to face her.

Once, she was the little girl who would hide behind him when her mother scolded her. The girl whose father had placed his trust in him to protect her. He could still hear the echoes of those days—her father’s lessons, her laughter, her trust in him.

And now, she stood before him, shattered because of him.

Coco exhaled sharply, his eyes dropping to the ground within his helmet.

Unlike Alex, known as the crybaby, she had always been the tough one—the girl who laughed even when she got hurt while playing. Her father would say that no matter how often she fell, she always got back up with a grin.

Coco’s wife often teased him that she wanted a daughter just like Seraphina and a son who resembled him.

But now, everything was different. Everything had changed—Coco had changed.

”Haven’t we shed enough blood?” Seraphina’s voice was weak initially, yet it resonated across the battlefield. ”I lost my father... We lost our president, countless civilians, Rangers... even Rogues.”

The chaos around her subsided. Eyes were fixed on her, attentive.

”You were meant to be humanity’s protectors, yet here you are, killing each other,” she said, her voice gaining strength. ”Is this how you were meant to protect us? Look around! Do you think you’re fighting for the right cause?”

She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over the battered warriors. ”No! You’re not fighting for justice anymore—you’re letting one man control your emotions, blind you with his rage, and lead you to destroy the very foundation of our city!”

Her words resonated in the silence. Some rangers and even rogues shared uneasy glances.

”We are stronger together! We’ve fought side by side before—Rangers, Rogues, all of us—to protect humanity from greater threats! And now you’re allowing that man to turn you against one another? Is this the future you desire? A battlefield of ruins, drowning in the blood of our people?”

Fire blazed in her eyes as she continued, ”He thinks he’s doing this for humanity, yet he’s ready to shed its blood to protect it. And it seems you’re just like him. You believe that those who disagree with you deserve to die, don’t you?”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd—doubt and hesitation. Her words struck deep, compelling them to confront the truth.

The battlefield, once engulfed in chaos, began to shift. Rangers, blinded by rage, took cautious steps back to check on their wounded comrades. Some fell to their knees, mourning the losses of both friends and foes—Rogues and Rangers alike. The bloodshed had blurred the lines between them.

And the midst of it all, Coco stood resolute, watching as the tide of battle slipped from his grasp.

Seraphina raised her voice, her words undeniable.

”Stand with me,” she urged. ”Stand for humanity. Let’s end this war before it destroys everything we cherish.”

Alex stood next to Seraphina, his gaze fixed on Coco, prepared for any sudden movement. Tyson and Blue positioned themselves beside him.

Shaun hesitated before stepping forward to join them. ”I tried to stop her...” he whispered.

Seraphina glanced back, feeling Alex’s hand on her shoulder. She met his gaze and gave him a silent, knowing smile.

”Thanks,” Alex said, his voice uncertain yet sincere. Then, turning to the others, he spoke with conviction. ”She lost her father, but she saw through his lies. What about you? are you going to let him control you?”

An uncomfortable silence persisted until a commanding voice shattered it.

”We’ve had enough!” the lieutenant shouted. ”Rangers, stand down!”

The Rangers hesitated for only a moment before stepping back from the Rogues. In turn, the Rogues did the same. Once a war zone, the battlefield was now divided by Rogues and Rangers.

”But our battle isn’t over,” Alex said. ”There’s still one man we need to confront.”

The Lieutenant took a deep breath in, then determinedly raised his voice. ”Forgive me, my friends. I allowed my failure to cloud my judgment—I forgot our real mission. But no more. From this moment forward, our foe is that man.” He pointed at Coco. ”We will capture him, no matter the cost. If it takes every last ounce of strength and every particle in our armor, we will fight him like these three young warriors did.”

The Rangers stiffened, determination flashing in their eyes. Coco’s fear still lingered, but Seraphina’s words reminded them of why they had become Rangers in the first place. They had sworn to protect humanity and to face the impossible—so why not start with him?

”My friends, I know you feel betrayed. I feel it too,” Blue’s voice came as he continued. ”But I want to change—correct my mistakes.”

He inhaled deeply and then looked at the faces surrounding him. Some were cautious, some looked puzzled, but they were paying attention to him.

”I followed Coco, knowing destruction would follow us. But I hoped that we Rogues would finally earn the respect we deserve.” He hesitated, clenching his fists. ”But he misled us. He dragged us into this war, not to uplift us, but to ensure our elimination.”

A murmur spread among the remaining Rogues, doubt creeping into their hardened faces.

”He was never our friend. He isn’t a Ranger, either. If he were, he wouldn’t have chosen this path—he wouldn’t have betrayed his people to destroy his enemies.”

From the sidelines, Raine leaned against the debris, a faint smile on her lips as she watched Blue take the lead. She had always known he had it in him.

But the pain in her leg reminded her of the cost they had already paid. Blood seeped from the jagged wound where her lower leg had once been. When the strike came, she faced an impossible choice—her hand or her leg. With her armor’s nano-particles nearly depleted, she saved her arm.

Now, she gritted her teeth, determined to remain conscious. She had lost a part of herself, but maybe—just maybe—Blue was discovering his own.

”We will stand with the Rangers and take down the traitor!” Blue shouted. His voice rang out across the battlefield, strong and unwavering.

A ripple of unease flowed through the Rogues. Surrender? The mere thought caused some of them to shift uncomfortably.

But then Blue smiled—not in defeat, but with determination. ”It’s time we take responsibility for our actions. Make no mistake—we are not finished. We will rise again, and next time, we’ll fight differently.”

Silence lingered in the air before a voice echoed back, followed by another.

”Right! We will fight!”

The murmurs transformed into a roaring consensus, the energy shifting as the Rogues discovered their resolve.

Now, everyone is focused on Coco. The battlefield was no longer his to control.